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Physics

Quantum randomness of empty space can be controlled with a laser

The minuscule fluctuations of seemingly empty space can be controlled just enough to make the building blocks of a new type of computer

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Sunlight coming out of the optical fibre

Physics

Sunlight could cool an atom to its coldest possible temperature

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Can recreating black holes in the lab solve the puzzles of space-time?

Physics

Can recreating black holes in the lab solve the puzzles of space-time?

Features

Octopus-inspired ink changes colour when exposed to light

Chemistry

Octopus-inspired ink changes colour when exposed to light

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A butterfly flies near to a light at night

Video

Slow motion footage reveals why insects are attracted to lights

Video

Technology

Incandescent lamp could save energy by recycling infrared light

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Caption Illustration of the double-slit experiment, showing a plane wave (top left) passing through a screen with two gaps. The gaps act as new wave sources and the wavefronts bend to create two sets of circular waves radiating outwards. These two new waves create an interference pattern as they interact. At the point where a wave peak from one hits a wave peak from another, or a trough hits a trough, they reinforce each other; their magnitudes are summed. This is known as constructive interference. Where a trough hits a peak, they cancel each other out. This is known as destructive interference.

Physics

Light interacts with its past self in twist on double-slit experiment

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crustacean larvae

Life

Prawn larvae conceal their eyes with reflectors to hide from predators

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Yi Zhang with the optical computer

Technology

Light-based computer could outpace traditional electrical chip designs

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Invisibility cloak

Technology

AI-designed invisibility cloak could hide small communication devices

Artificial intelligence has helped design an invisibility cloak. The cloak could hide communication devices from detectors that use microwaves or infrared light

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Health

Light exposure may be linked to several mental health conditions

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Space

Jet from neutron stars seems to travel seven times the speed of light

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Health

Some doses of blue light from screens may not affect your sleep

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Technology

Anti-laser can make any object suck in light

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